Search the digital library catalog

Abstract: Following the banning of expanded polystyrene packaging material, the fast food restaurant industry was serendipitously plunged into green sourcing initiatives for its packaging materials leading to heightened efforts on evaluating the suitability of various suppliers of green packaging material. This study therefore sought to assess the performance of selected suppliers on supplier performance metrics of total cost of ownership, quality of sourced material and delivery performance, in Zimbabwe’s restaurant industry. Methodology: Data was collected from senior procurement officers of 30 officially registered fast food restaurants in Zimbabwe. Each restaurant randomly selected 5 suppliers from their supplier lists. Each unit was asked to rate their 5 major suppliers of packaging material leading to an effective sample size of 150 suppliers. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to analyse data in AMOS. The five steps in SEM, that is: model specification, model identification, parameter estimation, model evaluation and modification were done. Findings: The findings in this study revealed that green sourcing leads to improved procurement performance in terms of total cost of ownership, quality of the materials sourced, and delivery performance. Implications for theory and practice: It was therefore recommended that practically the restaurant industry should explore various options of green packaging material ranging from recyclable and reusable plastic, paper, aluminium and steel material. Originality and value: Although the study was done in a single market, there is dearth in literature on green sourcing in frontier markets, of which the study provides empirical evidence from the restaurant industry in SubSaharan Africa.
Keywords: green sourcing, supplier evaluation, fast food restaurant, frontier markets, supplier performance metrics, green packaging material, total cost of ownership, quality of sourced material, delivery performance
Published in DKUM: 23.08.2024; Views: 80; Downloads: 7
Full text (1,33 MB)
This document has many files! More...

Abstract: UV-ozone activated polypropylene (PP) food films were subjected to a novel bilayer coating process involving primary or quaternary chitosan (CH/QCH) as the first layer and natural extracts from juniper needles (Juniperus oxycedrus; JUN) or blackberry leaves (Rubus fruticosus; BBL) as the second layer. This innovative approach aims to redefine active packaging (AP) development. Through a detailed analysis by surface characterization and bioactivity assessments (i.e., antioxidant and antimicrobial functionalities), we evaluated different coating combinations. Furthermore, we investigated the stability and barrier characteristics inherent in these coatings. The confirmed deposition, coupled with a comprehensive characterization of their composition and morphology, underscored the efficacy of the coatings. Our investigation included wettability assessment via contact angle (CA) measurements, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), which revealed substantial enhancements in surface concentrations of elements and functional groups of CH, QCH, JUN, and BBL. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) unveiled the coatings' heterogeneity, while time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) and CA profiling showed moderately compact bilayers on PP, providing active species on the hydrophilic surface, respectively. The coatings significantly reduced the oxygen permeability. Additionally, single-layer depositions of CH and QCH remained below the overall migration limit (OML). Remarkably, the coatings exhibited robust antioxidative properties due to plant extracts and exceptional antimicrobial activity against S. aureus, attributed to QCH. These findings underscore the pivotal role of film surface properties in governing bioactive characteristics and offer a promising pathway for enhancing food packaging functionality.
Keywords: chitosan, plant extracts, polypropylene, active packaging, surface characterization, bioactivity
Published in DKUM: 27.05.2024; Views: 241; Downloads: 18
Full text (4,75 MB)
This document has many files! More...

Keywords: food packaging, active agents, bulk preparation techniques, antibacterial and antioxidant properties
Published in DKUM: 11.04.2024; Views: 251; Downloads: 16
Full text (5,51 MB)
This document has many files! More...

Abstract: European Union Directive 2008/98/EC sets the priority hierarchy of the prevention of waste, re-using waste, recycling waste, waste recovery, and waste disposal. Although every one of us is in daily contact with waste, we do not have the knowledge that can lead us to the sound management of waste from the beginning, before products are identified as waste. Zero waste is a fundamental concept of the sustainable community of the future. It is a phrase frequently used by politicians seeking to upgrade the municipal solid waste management systems in their communities. In this manner, the responsibility of zero waste is given to the waste management process instead of to householders. Householders then equate waste prevention with recycling and the proper waste management of the collectors, public services, or waste management company. In reality, zero waste starts with each one of us at home. Households should aim to reduce consumption and undertake repairs to extend the life span of products. Behaviour change can only start with knowledge. In reality, waste prevention does not include recycling. Recycling leads to a combined reduction of waste brought to landfill and raw material extraction. The present paper evaluates household waste to clarify the facts. It analyses the composition of three streams: municipal solid waste, separately collected packaging waste, and bulky waste in different regions of Slovenia. The research defines waste into five different categories. The first category is waste that can and should be avoided. The second category is waste that can be re-used. Further on, the research expands by researching the market of the third category that defines recyclables, which waste can be recycled; the last two categories are the waste that we are fighting with at the end of the waste management process, either to make it to the waste-to-energy process or to comply with landfill restrictions. At the end of the research, we summarize the situation of household waste in 2018. Our goal is to reduce the quantity of waste, making only waste that can be recycled. If we consider waste prevention to be a fight against waste, we can put our plan in place by taking the first step: getting to know our enemy.
Keywords: municipal solid waste, zero waste, recycling, lightweight packaging waste, waste management, material recovery
Published in DKUM: 05.12.2023; Views: 397; Downloads: 8
Full text (463,42 KB)
This document has many files! More...

Abstract: First international conference in the scope of FibreNet project funded by European Commission. The conference brings the FibreNet together international representatives from industry and academia to discuss opportunities and strengths related to bio-based fibre products. In three consecutive sessions, fifteen international PhD students will present their research results, guide you along the value-chain of fibre-based products and give you the opportunity to discuss the future of bio-based materials.
Keywords: biobased materials, mechanical properties, paper, packaging, dissemination of research result
Published in DKUM: 08.01.2020; Views: 1522; Downloads: 61
Link to file